The Mongols were the first and last people to attack Russia in the mid of winter and actually conquer it (actually they did so with brutal success). You can bet if they were riding in temperatures of –40 and below then they were not just wearing sneakers. The steppe still gets extremely cold, and the prospect of riding in winter is no less intimidating.
To prevent cold feet and ultimately frostbite I looked towards
Baffin cold-weather footwear. Their boots have been used by polar explorers for years on a range of expeditions.
The ‘Impact’ boot is one of their high range models that is graded at –100 degrees and is still remarkably lightweight. It has removable inners and large buckles for a better fit- buckles are also preferable to laces in the extreme cold. Jason Nichols at IOS (inspired orthotic solutions) who designed some special orthotics for use in them was extremely impressed with the design and materials used. Having experienced frostbite before I found this very comforting.
For any traveller heading to seriously cold terrain I think that the range of Baffin boots offer a very good investment for good health and comfort. Thanks to Baffin Canada for your support!
In terms of potential problems, many people think that I will not be able to ride in these boots. However the Mongols use boots that are far wider, and so the stirrups on this side of the world are much more accommodating for my kind of travel.
ON THE ROAD UPDATE
In temperatures reaching -47 on the steppe, my boots have been instrumental in keeping me alive and moving/ Since I have experienced frostbite in the past, my feet get cold very easily and so good boots are especially important. So far my baffin boots have performed extremely well. They are relatively light, very warm, and comfortable for walking, and riding. The inner liner is easily removed for drying. I wear a vapoyur barrier over my socks to prevent it from getting wet during wild stretches of the journey. I would recommend these boots to anyone seriously contemplating an expedition in the cold.
